Glad Tidings
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Luke 2:10 ESV
The Bible uses the word ‘fear’ in two different ways. The first and most familiar way is referring to an unpleasant feeling that something bad is going to happen. The second kind of fear describes an intense feeling of respect and awe that God deserves from us human beings.
Imagine going from the first kind of fear to the second over the course of a few seconds. That’s what happened to the shepherds outside the town of Bethlehem when one of God’s angels appeared to announce the birth of the Savior. When an incredibly powerful celestial being shows up out of nowhere, shining with the glory of God Himself, you can understand why they might be afraid. It wouldn’t be surprising if some of those shepherds figured they were about to die.
Imagine the change in their emotions when they were told by the angel not to be afraid. The shepherds became calm enough to hear that the promised Savior had finally been born. Their hearts must have nearly burst with joy when they heard that God was finally fulfilling the promise He had been repeating to the people of Israel for hundreds of years.
This is the same kind of joy that we will experience as believers when Judgment Day finally comes. For those of us who may be left on earth when that day arrives, any initial fear we have about what’s happening will completely disappear when we realize what is happening. God is finally fulfilling the promise He has been repeating for thousands of years in the words of the Bible.
As we once again look forward to celebrating what happened during the first advent, or “coming”, of our Savior, let us also keep in mind that Jesus is coming back again. This time He will come to bring every one of his believers to spend eternal paradise with him in heaven forever.
O Lord, remove our unpleasant fears of your judgment and give us a steady, healthy love and respect for your glorious mercy through Jesus Christ. Amen.